The goal is to create a book of Soke's art at the direction of Soke himself. Here is an opportunity to get a more complete set of his work with added insight and information. I am a backer and I have no financial interest other than I really want the book to happen. Spread the word and help to make this happen!!

Self-publishing would mean incredibly low cost, no pre-printing books, and I'm certain spreading word would be easy, most of us buy anything from or about Soke, and getting it into online stores wouldn't be difficult either (Amazon for example, support Print-On-Demand books from many places, such as Lulu).

Certainly artists and others working on the book should be paid, but if most of the $55.000 is going towards simply producing the book, it feels like that money could have been spent on other things.

As for me, I'll be supporting the kickstarter campaign, because I'd like to see the book published, and it seems to be the only option to getting the book published.

This is self publishing. The costs of the book were to use better paper to properly display the art. Costs also go to professional layout and planning.

By self publishing, Steve (and therefore Soke) has more control over what goes into the book.

Use of kickstarter is a tool to get pre-orders and finance the book. Do you have $50,000.00 around to publish books? It simply makes the project possible.

If you are familiar with art books. It is not like making regular books or even Soke's usual books with lots of pictures which can be printed on cheaper paper. Steve really wants to make the book special so Soke will be proud to have it. The common "print on demand" books would not suffice for this goal. For what he has planned, $55,000.00 is an inexpensive printing.

I (and many other's) have been bugging Steve to do this for years and he would only do it when Soke instructed him to to do so. It is obviously an important part of Soke's life that he has devoted time to. Even if you have amassed many pieces over the years of going to Japan you cannot have the variety and insight into his art that this book will have!

It is beyond our expectations and a really Beautiful book. Steve is to be commended and we hope to hear about it's entry into several book contests soon.

Some of us who were luck enough to be in Japan at the right time were able to get one. The rest are in shipping. Steve has required they be shipped with a super safe shipping box which I have been told is impressive. The book is equip with a sheet of beautiful calligraphy paper to get Sokes signature. In the dojo on Sunday he did a few signatures and each was personalized for the book owner. It was awesome to see how the paper took the paint!

I jumped the gun, I thought Steve was putting an announcement out on Facebook yesterday. It will be soon and I'm sure you can check on what changes need to be made to your new address. How long ago did you move? I do not know what mail system he is using for distribution, if mail will be forwarded.